Virginia uranium backers take their message to Capitol

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Dozens of Southside Virginia proponents of uranium mining arrived by bus at the Capitol on Thursday as lawmakers provided more details on proposed legislation that would end a 1980s state moratorium on mining the ore used in nuclear power reactors.

The elected officials stressed that the legislation would create a robust, highly regulated environment for uranium mining, which has never been done at full scale on the East Coast, and provide jobs and revenue for Southside Virginia. About 70 mining supporters stood behind them and nodded in agreement.